The Congress  launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that India missed out on a trade deal with the United States due to a lack of direct engagement at the leadership level.

In a post on X, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, while sharing a video on his social media account, said, “Hug hug na raha, post post na raha,” adding, “Kya se kya ho gaya, bewafa teri dosti mein.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Congress leader Pawan Khera targeted Prime Minister Modi, questioning, “What happened to the (India-US) trade deal?”

“What happened to the (India-US) trade deal? Every day, US President Donald Trump is insulting our Prime Minister and our country, but we are sitting quietly…If anyone is countering Donald Trump, it is only the Opposition,” Khera said.

What Did Howard Lutnick Say?

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, during an interview on a podcast, said that the India-US trade deal failed because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not call President Donald Trump to secure it. He added that although the Trump administration was keen to finalise an early agreement with India, New Delhi “couldn’t get it done when they needed to”.

Trump’s 500% Tariff Threat

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s claim comes after President Trump approved the bipartisan “Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025.” Senator Lindsey Graham posted on X that this law allows for tariffs of up to 500% on countries that buy cheap Russian oil, thereby fueling Putin’s war.

Graham announced the approval on January 8, 2026, when India-US trade talks had stalled. This bill imposes a 500% secondary tariff on buyers of Russian oil.

Trump has imposed a 50% tariff on India over what are claimed to be unfair trade practices and another 25% over New Delhi’s buying of oil from Russia. After the tariffs, several rounds of talks have taken place between the two countries; however, neither country has reached an agreement.